Steven Pressley appointed Dundee head coach

Dundee have appointed former Scotland international Steven Pressley as their new head coach.

The 51-year-old former Falkirk, Coventry, Fleetwood and Carlisle boss will take the reins after leaving his role as head of individual player development at Brentford last week.

It represents a surprise appointment by the Dark Blues, with his name having barely been mooted since the sacking of Tony Docherty a fortnight ago, although he did play under Dundee technical director Gordon Strachan at Celtic. Pressley has not managed in Scotland since leaving Falkirk in 2013.

Managing director John Nelms told the club’s official website: “We are delighted to welcome Steven Pressley as the new head coach of Dundee Football Club. Steven has spent the last four years at English Premier League club Brentford and brings with him a shared core value of player development and a rounded approach to winning football.

“Steven will be installing a framework that delivers on the messaging that the senior players and the development players are one effective team. This will bring success to Dundee Football Club on and off the park. Welcome to the club, Steven, and we are looking forward to many successful campaigns.”

Dundee have also appointed David Longwell as their technical manager. The 51-year-old Scot was academy manager at St Mirren before being promoted to the role of assistant and he has since had academy roles at Orlando, New York, Shrewsbury and Burnley. His most recent posting was as assistant manager at Fylde earlier this year.

“We are also excited to welcome David Longwell as the new technical manager of Dundee Football Club,” added Nelms. “David comes to us with a long and productive history in the development of players both north and south of the border.

“Player development has always been at the forefront of our club, and with the amount of young emerging talent, it is important that the restructuring of the football department will emphasise this even more.

“His main role will be working alongside technical director Gordon Strachan and head coach Steven Pressley to ensure the concentrated development of the individual player. David will also have additional roles within the first-team set-up.”

Dundee are set to announce further additions to the footballing department in due course.